MPs DON BOARDIES IN CANBERRA TO ASSIST SURF LIFESAVING
February 14, 2013
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester donned the board shorts at Parliament House in Canberra this week to help raise money for Surf Life Saving Australia.
Mr Chester is the Club Captain of the Parliamentary Friends of Surf Lifesaving and a volunteer Water Safety Officer at surf lifesaving carnivals across Gippsland.
He joined Tasmanian MP Geoff Lyons and West Australian MP Luke Simpkins in urging Australians to wear their board shorts to school or work next week on Friday, February 22, for Boardies Day.
“Boardies Day is a fun initiative to help raise money for a great cause and celebrates the contribution surf lifesavers make in protecting the lives of beachgoers across our coastal communities,” Mr Chester said.
“Over 165,000 members across 310 surf lifesaving clubs around Australia helps make Surf Life Saving Australia the largest volunteer movement of its kind in the nation.
“They performed more than 15,000 rescues, 35,000 first aid treatments and 920,000 preventative actions during 2011-12.”
Mr Chester said Surf Lifesaving Australia is committed to reducing drowning deaths by 50 per cent by 2020.
He said a large number of Gippslanders and visitors to the region are still frequenting local beaches.
“Our surf lifesaving volunteers all do a fantastic job in keeping local beaches safe and I urge anyone visiting a patrolled beach this summer to take their advice and swim between the flags,” Mr Chester said.
To donate or find out more information about Boardies Day log on to www.boardiesday.com